PHILADELPHIA — The other day, in the moments following a loss in Chicago, Thad Young opined that he was so worn down, he was going to take a nap on the flight home then finish that nap when he got in the door.

And that was after playing 40 minutes. So imagine the fatigue Young has experienced the last six months.

The fifth-year forward has gone from coach Doug Collins’ super-sub to starting five material. He’s at times played three different positions for the Sixers and guarded all five spots on the floor, and he’s done so without complaining. He spent his summer watching tape to improve his defense and gained more than 15 pounds to jumpstart his offense.

“Thad, I’m very, very happy with,” Collins said Monday, following a spirited two-hour practice at PCOM. “We’re asking him to get up the floor and hit on the ball. We’re asking him to blow up pick-and-rolls. We’re asking him to get down there and front the post and play (other teams’ big) guys.

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“I’m just thrilled with Thad. I think Thad’s player better than he has ever. Now, I know he’s had better numbers at other times, but I think that Thad by far is playing his best basketball.”

Here are Young’s numbers: He carries averages of 14.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and a .524 field-goal percentage. Impressive, yes. All close to career-best totals, too. But Young’s greatest contributions exist in these numbers: 17-for-17 in games started, with an average of 36 minutes per game.

His consistent presence on the floor has translated to offerings at both ends for the Sixers.

Young’s speed at the forward position is widely unmatched in the league, so getting out on the break against guys much larger than he has helped him chip in where he can for a fastbreak offense that ranks in the league’s bottom third. Also, Young has been able to defend anywhere from point guard to the pivot.

That means, more than likely, Young (6-8, 235) will be tasked with guarding Minnesota center Kevin Love (6-10, 260) when the Timberwolves visit Wells Fargo Center tonight.

“That’s probably one of the more-difficult matchups of the year,” Young said of Love, who averages 21 points and 15 rebounds per game. “He never stops going to the basket. He’s very active. He’s the best rebounder in the league. He’s one of those guys that’s just going to go after you. All you can do is keep your body in between him and the basket, get the rebound and try to run him up and down the court. … You have to wear him down in transition.”

Without Andrew Bynum for the immediate future, Young is the closest thing the Sixers have to a physical presence in the paint – even if Collins doesn’t like playing him at the center position.

“The big thing is how he’s fighting those big guys in the post,” Collins said. “The other night, we had him on (Chicago’s) Joakim Noah, he had to play (Carlos) Boozer some, he had to play Taj Gibson some. … He plays all of those guys.”

And played them well, at that.

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Center Andrew Bynum received treatment Monday, and underwent physical therapy over the weekend while the Sixers were on their roadtrip, a team official said.

There’s no timetable for the return of Bynum, who has had not practiced or played for the Sixers this season while contending with bilateral bone bruises and weakened cartilage in each of his knees.

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Guard Nick Young is a game-time decision for tonight against the Timberwolves. Young sat out Saturday’s loss to Chicago, after having suffered a hyperextended big toe on his left foot a night earlier.

“He wasn’t able to practice today,” Collins said. “That’s an injury where I don’t know if he’s going to be able to go (Tuesday).

“Sometimes you hear a big toe injury and you go, ‘How can a big toe…?’ It’s everything. You push off of it. If I’m not mistaken, Dizzy Dean had a bad toe and threw out his arm.”